And eventually his kisses went from being lingering and reserved… to deeper and more persistent… building up to a fire of emotions and desires… a fire none of them wanted to tame.

So they both just let it burn…

Until Anjali set up in her bed gasping for air. Cold air preferably… because her body was so unusually warm… and tensed… and relaxed in the same time. Something was coiling under her skin, asking to be released… to where? What was happening?

Anjali was really confused. On the one hand she was not new to physical aspects of man-woman relations… she was married after all! But then… it never was like this! "It" was nice and pleasant and… something Anjali did because it was a part of her marriage. To make her husband happy, to have kids…

Something jolted painfully in Anjali's chest when memory of her daughter resurfaced. They say that time heals all the wounds… it doesn't. Anjali was betrayed, her family was abused… but time and happiness almost erased the pain Shyam has inflicted on them. Except for loosing her daughter – this pain has never faded, it became Anjali's constant emotional background, something she taught herself to live with…

And now – she did it again. Anjali forced herself out of sorrow, out of memories about her marital disaster, out of anything regretful she had in the back of her soul... Anjali knew she couldn't change the past… and she was more than willing to face the future. Starting today.

Because today was not the day to be sad. Today was the day when her body awoke to something unusual and sensual… Anjali was touched by the man who actually really loved her.

…

But half a day later Anjali was ready to retract whatever expectations she has had of today. Because above all the other things this day was… awkward.

Not uncomfortable, no! But… ok, there was no easy way to explain it to herself too, and Anjali struggled to understand what was so off about her, about him… about them.

And only after lunch it hit her – Javed haven't given her a single direct compliment today! Like even one!

He was attentive all right! Javed was always there when she turned around for help… He always took a chance to touch her fingers whenever passing anything to her… and this little innocent touch was sending warm shivers through her body… And his eyes… they were burning with flames of passion and adoration… and Anjali felt like checking around them to see if anybody else has noticed this too.

But nobody did. Maybe because Javed took an extra effort to secure easy-going and happy atmosphere in the house today, spreading jokes and compliments all over the place, being his usual charming self with a cherry on the top.

Except he merely spoke to Anjali out of common phrases and general sentences… wasn't trying to impress her with his wits or charm her with his gallantry. And that was so off character for him! And Anjali was no going to tolerate this any longer!

…

- Ok, I'm exhausted! – announced Khushi dropping herself on the sofa not even bothering to move all the packages that were scattered around. She shrieked and retrieved a big angular box from under her back. Khushi studied it for a moment and asked absentmindedly not addressing anybody in particular:

- Do we have enough decorations?

There was a muffled moan from another couch expressing Arnav's annoyance with all the shopping Khushi was about to drop on his head… again! But NK saved the day:

- Khushi-ji, few more lamps and we can celebrate Diwali instead of Raksha Bandhan! Chillax! We're good to go for tomorrow!

Khushi sighted and nodded with a lazy smile leaning back on the cushion:

- I just want everything to be perfect… We had such a great show yesterday, and I want to keep up the pace…

She looked around to smile at her family. Khushi had so many sisters and brothers now… this as a special holiday for her! It HAD to be perfect!

Khushi added:

- Lavanya-ji is here, and Javed-ji… And jiji and jija-ji are coming back tomorrow morning… We have so many rakhis to tie tomorrow!

She was almost giddy with expectations and missed a very unusual exchange of glances between Anjali and Javed.

Normally Javed dreaded Raksha Bandhan at Shantivan. It was a terrible day when Anjali offered to tie him a sacred thread and he always refused "the honor" without any explanations. Not to be rude to the family that loved him as their own Javed tried avoiding spending this time of the year in the city… in the country even! But still… he did manage to celebrate few Raksha Bandhan holidays with Raizadas… and these were some of the most painful memories of his.

But not this time! This time…

Anjali shot an apologetic glance to Javed feeling really sorry for all the pain she'd caused him throughout these years with her "sisterly intentions". But her remorse and guilt didn't even fully built in her conscience… when she caught his gaze. Javed was smiling. Not just "smiling" – he had this smug lazy victorious smirk like… Anjali couldn't quite place his expression for she hadn't seen it before on Javed's face. And Anjali couldn't look away… almost like she was hypnotized by the color of melting chocolate in his eyes.

Her body went heavier and mouth was suddenly so dry… Anjali felt like she couldn't move a muscle – but when she tried testing this feeling Anjali almost jumped off her seat to everybody's surprise. To cover up her thrill Anjali offered:

- I shall go make some tea for everybody, - she looked around as if counting people in the common room and her eyes stopped directly at Javed, - Javed-ji, would you be so kind to help me?

He nodded regally and complied:

- Will be most honored!

Lavanya giggled:

- Oh, J, always such a gentleman! Wonder if I should ask you to take me to the party today of will you offer it yourself? Because I think…

But Anjali didn't know what else Lavanya has thought because she hurried to the kitchen as fast as she could… so the distance would silence her pounding heart… her confusion… and painful stab of jealousy she felt when Lavanya was murmuring her plans to Javed.

Anjali tried to steady herself. She was mature woman with real life experience… not some emotion-driven teenager… she was not supposed to fall for this kind of "he loves me/he loves me not" drama! But… it was easier said than done… so her hands were still trembling when she reached out for a tea jar on a top shelf.

And then… she felt him before she saw him. Javed's presence entered her conscience like a fragrance, flavoring her every thought and changing her every move.

His muscular hand reached out from behind her right shoulder and took off the jar Anjali couldn't reach. Javed put a jar on a kitchen counter and placed his left hand on the counter on the other side of Anjali's motionless body. They stood like this for a moment – Javed almost embracing Anjali from behind but not touching her at all – and Anjali took this time to relax. She overreacted, she knew that. Javed was being polite to Lavanya, that's all… She should've known better.

- You should know better by now, don't you? – his voice was hoarse, deep… it filled the air between them with almost tangible tension… and need. His warm breath was shivering the hair on the back of her head but it didn't feel like tickles… it felt like caress. And judging by the sound of grinding teeth from behind her Javed was doing his best to stay calm… stay decent… be a gentleman. And judging by the way his breath was getting heavier and more erratic he wasn't going to win this battle.

Anjali was drinking in this feeling of being desired… being wanted to the point of losing self-control… and yet – being respected. However hard it was for Javed to be this close to the object of his love of the last decade and not touch her – Anjali knew he would hold. She trusted him.

Anjali leaned backwards and her head nuzzled at the crook of his neck. Javed shrugged as all the muscles constricted convulsively when Anjali's body pressed against his… and then relaxed. This was a sign of trust and he was not going to spoil it by his earthly desires. "That" could wait. Anjali… his tender, naïve, emotional, innocent Anjali… couldn't.

- Javed-ji, I'm sorry for running out like this, I was just…

- … jealous? – Javed finished for her and added, - But… why? Anjali, what on Earth made you think that I didn't mean what I said yesterday? You are and always will be the only woman in my life… and I'm more than willing to repeat it on hourly basic if you need regular reassurance.

Even without looking at his face Anjali knew Javed was mocking her. With love, adoration even… but still mocking.

She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow and Javed shirked a bit:

- Hey, what was that for?

- For ignoring me! How was I supposed to know that yesterday it wasn't just some party alcohol talking in you? You spend this whole morning praising Khushi's cooking and Lavanya's fashion sense – and you barely said two words to me!

Javed stepped away from Anjali making her to turn around and face him. He watched her carefully and then spoke:

- I drove you home yesterday. As you can imagine I wasn't drinking. Neither was I drinking that day on a terrace when I first told you I love you. Nor was I drunk for the last eight years since the day I met you…

Anjali tried to say something… but what could she say when this conversation went from light to serious tone in a blink of an eye.

- Javed-ji, I'm…

- Anjali, would you please make some tea? I'll be back in a moment.

Javed turned around and quickly left the kitchen. Anjali's head was spinning and she was lost in ideas of what that might have been just now. Did Javed… walked out on her in the middle of conversation?